S P O N S O R E D INSTITUTIONS Catherine McAuley Center West Midwest Update Mount Mercy College Mercy Medical Center Sisters, associates, employees of Sacred Heart Convent and sponsored works, and committee members from the Cedar Rapids Regional Community had CO - SPONSOR a chance to meet the first employees of the Sisters of Mercy West Midwest Community. Mercy Housing, Inc. LEADERSHIP TEAM In their first weeks on the job, the West Midwest Community Operating 2003 - 2008 Officer (COO), Kim Kinsel and Community Financial Officer (CFO), Kathy Thornton, RSM, President Carol Kelley visited Sacred Heart Convent, December 5 – 6. During their visit, the women were able to learn about the Cedar Rapids Regional Shari Sutherland, RSM, Vice President Community’s ministries and operations. In addition to learning about the Margaret Weigel, RSM, Councilor Cedar Rapids Regional Community’s culture, the women were also able to visit the other five regional communities in Auburn and Burlingame, ADMINISTRATIVE California; Chicago; Detroit and Omaha that will comprise the West S TA F F Midwest Community. The women have been meeting with committees Theresa Baldus-Kokontis, and will make a presentation to the West Midwest Community Leadership Administrator Teams regarding budgets and administrative structure. Jessica Folkerts, Administrative Assistant Jenny Johnson, Business Manager The West Midwest Community will become official on July 1. The Melissa Looney, Director of Development COO and CFO will report to the leadership team for the West Midwest and Communications Community which will be elected during the West Midwest 2008 Inaugural Assembly, March 24 – 30 in Chicago. Direct address changes to: The formation of the West Midwest Community is part of the reorganization across the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas Mercy Works to more effectively combine resources and create a streamlined, efficient Sisters of Mercy Cedar Rapids Regional Community governing structure. This will allow the Sisters to be more responsible 1125 Prairie Drive NE stewards of their ministries, resources, talents and energy. Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402-4737 Mercy Works Mercy Works is published for friends of the Sisters of Mercy Cedar Rapids Regional Community. The Cedar Rapids Regional Community is connected to the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, a religious order of over 4,000 members, founded in Dublin, Ireland, in 1831 by Catherine McAuley. The West Midwest Community’s officers visit with the president and former presidents of the Cedar Rapids Regional Community. Pictured from left to right are Sister Kathy Thornton (2003 - 2008), Sister Mary Cephas Wichman (1971 - 1979), Sister Susan O’Connor (1995 - 2003), Kim Kinsel, Carol Kelley and Sister James Marie Donahue (1987 - 1995). Mercy Works two In Memoriam Sister Mary André Fenelon, RSM Sister Mary André Fenelon, RSM, 77, died on Thursday, December 20, 2007 at Mercy Hallmar Care Center in Cedar Rapids, after a short illness. Services were held on Saturday, December 22, at Sacred Heart Convent Chapel, by Reverend Jim Brokman. Burial followed at the Mount Calvary Cemetery in Cedar Rapids. Sister Mary André was born on December 23, 1929, in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Maurice and Anna Schiel Fenelon. She entered the Sisters of Mercy Cedar Rapids Community on December 21, 1962 and professed final vows on June 21, 1968. Sister Mary André spent her ministry in nursing services at Mercy Hospitals in Cedar Rapids and Oelwein. She was also a nurse aide at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids and at the Queen of Angels Infirmary at Sacred Heart Convent in Cedar Rapids. In 1983, she continued to minister at the Queen of Angels Sister Mary André Fenelon, RSM Infirmary as a housekeeper until her retirement in 2001. In addition to the Sisters of Mercy, Sister Mary André is survived by a sister, Joan Gardner, a sister-in-law, Mary T. Fenelon; an aunt, Virginia Hill and several cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Richard Fenelon. Memorials may be sent to the Sisters of Mercy at 1125 Prairie Drive NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52402. Mercy Works three 2008 AFIRM Grants Ten organizations are recipients of the Sisters of House of Mercy Mercy’s 2008 AFIRM (Allocating Finances Into As a minister at the House of Mercy in Waterloo, Resources for Mission) grants totaling nearly Sister Kathy Thill requested AFIRM funds so that $150,000. To be eligible for AFIRM funds, the House of Mercy could add a staff member to El organizations must have a Sister of Mercy or Centro Latino Americano, a young agency growing Mercy Associate from the Cedar Rapids Regional in the number of clients served as well as growing in Community actively involved in the organization as an service needs and programs. employee or volunteer. The following are recipients of the 2008 AFIRM grants. Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids Vice-President of Mission Integration at Mercy Medical Center, Sister Susan O’Connor applied for Big Brothers Big Sisters AFIRM funds to help employees of Mercy Medical Big Brothers Big Sisters volunteer, Sister Julie Brown Center experiencing a financial crisis beyond their nominated the organization for an AFIRM grant to control. help fund the program, "Developing Future Leaders". The project engages Coe and Mount Mercy College Mount Mercy College Campus Ministry students in community service, teaching them to be Sister Judith Meyers is the director of Mission effective mentors to at-risk children and helping these Integration at Mount Mercy College. She requested children grow. funds to continue a number of successful activities as well as initiate new activities and revitalize the Peace Birthright of Cedar Rapids and Justice Committee of the College Pastoral Council A board member of Birthright, Sister Lucy Frein at Mount Mercy College. requested funds to provide financial support to expectant mothers in need through maternity clothing Music Therapy Services of Winona vouchers, baby clothing and supplies essential for low- Sister Mary Jo Baldus is a music therapist for Music income clients. Therapy Services of Winona. AFIRM funds will help provide music therapy services for children of the Catherine McAuley Center Winona area with needs such as developmental and Board member of the Catherine McAuley Center, learning disabilities and delays, physical disabilities and Sister Mary Lou Podzimek requested funds to support emotional disabilities. the Catherine McAuley Center’s two programs, transitional housing and adult basic education Sacred Heart School, Oelwein program. Sister Mary Kurt is a tutor at Sacred Heart School in Oelwein. AFIRM funds will purchase reading Hispanic Outreach/Evangelization program materials for at-risk students and bus Sister Mary K. Doughan is the co-director of Hispanic transportation to ICN educational programs. Community in Wright County, Iowa. AFIRM funds will be used to improve the educational and holistic St. Catharine Academy, Bronx, New York living of underserved rural and small town Hispanic Sister Ann Margaret Welch is the principal at St. and Latino families. Catharine Academy in the Bronx, New York. AFIRM will fund the academy’s “Read 180 Program”, a part of the school’s STARS program. STARS is a program for students coming to St. Catharine Academy lacking unified and/or strong academic and personal skills. Mercy Works four "Each day is a step we make towards eternity and we shall continue thus to step from Suspice My God, day to day until we take the I am yours for time and eternity, last step, which will bring us teach me to cast myself into the arms of into the presence of God. " Your loving Providence with the most lively, - Catherine McAuley unlimited confidence in Your Compassionate, tender pity. Grant me, Helen Boddicker, sister of Sister Mary Ann Becker O most merciful Redeemer, that whatever Agnes Frye, You ordain or permit sister of Sister Mary Wilma Wolf may be acceptable to me. Gary Kessler, Take from my heart former employee of Sacred Heart Convent all painful anxiety; Melvin Tudor, suffer nothing to sadden husband of Mercy Associate, Shirley Tudor me but sin, nothing to delight me but the hope of coming to the possession of You, My God and my All, In Your everlasting Kingdom. Amen Catherine McAuley Mercy Worksfive House of Mercy Ministers ServesWaterloo Community During the 1999 Chapter meeting of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, delegates voted to adopt an Action Plan calling for the founding of Houses of Mercy across the Institute. The houses were to provide services in economically poor neighborhoods with multicultural community residents. Responding to the call from the Institute, the Sisters of Mercy Cedar Rapids Regional Community opened the seventh House of Mercy in Waterloo in 2003. Today, Sister Kathy Thill, RSM and Sister Phyllis Ann Ries, RSM carry out the mission of the Waterloo House of Mercy as its ministers “committed to prayer, mercy hospitality, a listening presence, and service to the people of East Waterloo.” The Sisters fulfill Sister Phyllis Ann Ries tutors a student to help him succeed in school. this mission by collaborating with other community you.” agencies to provide programs, mentoring, advocacy and networking. The Sisters have also provided financial assistance to the clients they serve. In the last year, the House of Sister Kathy and Sister Phyllis Ann work with a Mercy fulfilled a need for their clients facing stressful variety of individuals, young and old, from a variety of situations with the establishment of an Emergency backgrounds and cultures. The services of the House Fund. The emergency fund addresses immediate of Mercy are determined by community needs. Its needs such as providing food, clothing, gas money, programs seem to develop further the longer the house bus tickets and school supplies for the families they has a presence in the neighborhood.